Fitness Over 40

2008 Fitness Goals

I am late in getting this published, but I am ready to commit. 

 Here are my 2008 Fitness Goals:

• Exercise 365 hours - an average of an hour a day.  It is my personal dedication to Sweat365.
• Have a 35 inch waist.  By waist, I mean as measured around my belly button - where it’s the biggest.  Currently my waist is 43 inches.
• Blood Pressure consistently at 120/80 or better.  Currently running around 135/85.
• Lift using 225 pounds for 12 reps on Back and Chest.
• Climb Mt. Shasta June 26 to 29 (Over 14,000 foot, in Northern California). 
• Complete RAW Bike Tour August 3-9 (visit 4 volcanoes, over 30,000 feet elevation gain).

Here is a little more color on these goals:

• Exercise 365 hours.  This was actually Mark’s idea.  He thought it was the perfect tribute to Sweat365.  Last year I exercised for 268 hours.  The reason this is a powerful goal (other than the Sweat365 link), is that as an over forty person, it’s critical that I make consistant, daily workouts part of my job.  It is the number 1 anti-aging weapon.
• Have a 35 inch Waist.  This is also a Mark suggestion.  Holding weight around your mid-section is the most dangerous of all places.  The guidelines say that for males, having a 35 inch waist or lower is the gold standard.  So there you have it…
• Blood Pressure at 120/80 or better.  This is the gold standard of blood pressure.  I started 2007 with an average of 160/100.  It now is more in the 135/85 range.  I am very happy with the progress,  but I still have more to go.
• Lift for back and chest using 225 pounds.  This is something that Mark and I talked a lot about.  We don’t need to bench 300 anymore, but we value being strong and playing with big weights (it certainly fits us better than playing around on mountains).  225 seems like a reasonable compromise (it’s two 45 pound plates on each side of an Olympic bar).  Legs are exempt from this  - we don’t mind playing in the 300’s and 400’s for our legs.  I also think 225 for chest/back should be enough to keep you skinny cyclists from making too much fun of me when I am the last one up the hill.
• Climb Mt. Shasta.  Mark turns 60 in 2009.  He’s leaning toward wanting to climb Mt. Rainier that year.  Mt. Shasta is as tall as Mt Rainier, but a much easier climb technically.  So we thought we’d start there and see how it goes.  We are using a guided service, and taking 4 days.  The four days are so they can train you in alpine climbing along with doing the climb itself.
• Complete RAW.  This is the annuaul Ride Around Washington event.  I have done one before, but this is a different course.  It visits Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Hood.  In all, six days, over 400 miles, and over 30,000 feet of climbing.  But it’s supported so they feed you and haul all your gear around.  Great event!

For those wondering - Yes, Mark does get mentioned a lot in these goals.  He is my uncle, and my best friend.  He is 12 years older than me, but we have always been in the same range on ability and interests.  My brother Dave is doing RAW with me (Mark is not).  Dave also might climb Mt. Shasta - but he’s not sure if he’s interested yet.  The three of us also all own Harley Davidson Motorcycles.  I’m sure there will be a trip or two on the Harleys, but Lisa insists it doesn’t count as exercise.

Here’s our motto for the year Live Strong 2008!

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